The federal government is expected to decide later this month whether to remove federal protections from some grizzly bear populations. The decision comes after years of legal debate about Endangered Species Act protections for the bears.
A U.S. Representative from Wyoming last week pushed the federal Fish and Wildlife Service about their timeline for making a delisting decision.
Representative Harriet Hageman argued the agency was taking too long and asked deputy director Stephen Guertin for an update.
“When are you going to finish it?” said Hageman.
“We are planning to publish a 12-month finding by the end of this month, Congresswoman,” said Guertin
Montana, Wyoming and Idaho have all petitioned to varying degrees to end federal protections for grizzlies. The states argue bear populations have met recovery goals and are ready for delisting. The federal government is considering requests to delist bears in the Northern Continental Divide and Greater Yellowstone Ecosystems.
The three states have signed an interstate grizzly management plan to manage the bruins moving forward should they be delisted.
Two previous attempts to delist bears in and around Yellowstone have been blocked in court.
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Eight-hundred acres of western Montana habitat is now protected from future development. A new conservation easement helps anchor a safe passage for wildlife to move between valleys. -
There are now more grizzly bears in more places in and around Yellowstone National Park than at any time in over a century. But until this spring, the population lacked genetic diversity. Montana Public Radio’s Nick Mott reports on how fresh bear genes got into Yellowstone, and what it could mean for the bears' endangered species protections. -
Search and Rescue crews in Glacier National Park have discovered the remains of a hiker who had been missing since Sunday evening. Park officials say the injuries are consistent with those sustained by a bear attack. -
The deadline to decide on whether grizzly bears will remain under federal protection has been pushed back by a year. The U.S.. Fish and Wildlife Service was originally court-ordered to make a decision by the end of January, but last Friday, a federal judge extended that deadline to the end of the year. -
Raising domestic livestock in wild places comes with challenges. Especially when ranching happens alongside predators like grizzly bears and wolves. New research sheds light on decades-old practice of monitoring livestock and deterring predators on horseback.
